Heat-treating machine



July 13 1926. 1,592,662

G. H. GILMAN HEAT TREATING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lave-21227 aeozzgellli/i/ mm.

July 13 1926. 1,592,662

G. H. GILMAN HEAT TREATING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1,592,662 (5. H. GILMAN mm TREATING momma Filed July 1:3,v 1921 4 Sheets Sheet 4 I I llllllll i fi /05 87 85 I maven/ion- GeoryeH (ii/5mm by W wt yq Patented July 13, 1926. p

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. GILMAN, OF BELMONT, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEAT-TREATING MACHINE.

Application filed July 18, 1921. Serial No. 485,708.

My invention relates to heat treating ina-f'the plate 1 affords tracks for the wheels 13 chines and particularly but not exclusively to for the carriers for conveying the drill steels one for heat treating drill steels. a. Each carrier as illustrated comprises legs The invention will be best understood from 15 and 17 connected at their upper ends by 6 the following description when read in the a cross piece 18, the U-shaped member thus light of the accompanying drawings of a formed straddling the track, and the wheels specific embodiment of the invention selec- 13 being pivotally secured to the leg 17. ted for illustrative purposes, while the scope For yieldingly gripping the drill steels of the invention will be more particularly to the carrierIhave shown integrally formed 10 pointed out in the appended claims. with the upper and intermediate portions of In the drawings the leg 15 the projections 19, and facing Fig. 1 is a plan with parts in section the projections clips 21 pivoted to the pin ofamachine constructed according to the in- 23 carried by the leg and biased toward vention; the projections 19 by the springs 25. '16 Fig. 2 is a development on the line 22 For locking the drill steels to the carrier of Fig. 1; I have shown the lowermost portion of the Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 2; leg 15 formed with a projection 27 forming ig. 4 is a section on the line H of one jaw of a gripping means,.the other jaw Fig. 3. of which is provided by the member 29 in- 29 Fig. 5 is a view looking at the lowermost tegrally formed with the end of the rock portion of the left leg of the carrier in Fig. shaft 31 pivoted to the leg. For moving the a from the right; I jaw 29 I have shown the cam member 33 Fig. 6 is a view looking at the lowermost slidably mounted on the leg and having the ortion of the left leg of the carrier in oppositely inclined cam surfaces 35 and 37 35 Fig. 4 from the left when the carrier is at cooperating with the ends of the lever 39 the loading table, and with associated parts formed integrally with the end-of the rock shown diagrammatically in dotted lines; shaft 31 opposite the jaw 29. Secured to Fig. 7 shows a detail of the machine on the cam member 33 is a push rod ll sliding an enlarged scale; in cars 43 carried by the leg. Surrounding 59 Fig. 8 is a. section on the line 8-8 of the rod is a compression spring 45 for nor- 95 Fig. 7 mally biasing the cam member to move the Figs. 9 and 10 showfdetails of the machine jaw 29 toward the jaw 27, the push rod for on an enlarged scale; 7 this purpose being provided with a collar Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111 47 serving as one abutment for the compres- 35 f Fig, 3; sion spring, and the other abutment for the Fig. 12 is a plan view of the furnace withcompression spring being provided by the the top removed; I upper ear 43.

Fig. 13 is a development on the-line 1313 The drill steel is placed on the carrier as of Fig. 12; 1 the latter passes the loading table, the table Fig. 1 1 is a'section on the 'line14-14 of acting to gauge the position of the steel on Fig. 12; and i the carrier. When this is to be done the Fig. 15 is a perspective of a portion, of operator places the end of the drill steel the furnace reslstance and some of its asto be heat treated on the loading table and sociated parts in assembled relation. keeping such end in contact with the surface 45 Referring to the drawings, I have shown of the table slides the drill steel against a closed cylindrical plate 1, mounted in elethe carrier to force it between the projecvated position in any suitable manner, as for tions 19 and clips 21. As herein shown, for example, by means of legs 3 supported on the first part of its travel over the loading the base-plate (not shown) of the machine. table the locking means afforded by the jaws Distributed around the plate I have shown 27 and 29 is open, but before the carrier a loading table 5, a furnace 7, a quenching reaches the end of the loading table the locktank 9 and a disengaging mechanism 11, iling means closes and remains closed until lustrative examples of all of which parts just before the carrier, after travelling will hereinafter be more particularly dearound the track, again reaches the loading scribed. The upper and lower edges of table.

For operating the locking means the loading table is provided with an upstanding flange 49 having acontinuation 50. the upper edges 51 and 53 ot' the flange and its continuation being in the path of the cam member 33 on the carrier and engaging the cam member for a portion of the travel of the carrier around the track. As the carrier approaches the loading table the cam member 33 engages the lower end of the edge 53 of the continuation 50 to force the cam member upward and cause the drill steel to be disengaged. The operating edge 51 of the flange 49 terminates before the end of the loading table is reached in order that before the carrier moves away from the load ing table the cam member will be suddenly released to cause the spring 45 to forcibly drive the jaw 29 against the drill steel. For absorbing the shock to the parts occasioned by release of the cam member 33 when a "drill steel is not inserted 'I have shown a and the'cam member 33, the continuation 50 of course being shown out of position in this figure, its actual position being indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The disengaging mechanism for removing the drill steels from the carriers heretofore referred to herein comprises a standard 57 which carries the hooked-shaped arms 59. As the carrier approaches the loading table the ends of the arms 59 enter the space between the drill steel and the leg 15 of the carrier in order that continued movement of the carrier will force the drill steel from between the projections 19 and clips 21. The continuation 51 of the flange 49 of the loading table conveniently is so positioned as to cause release of the lower end of the drill steel immediately after the arms 59* have pulled the drill steel from between the projections 19 and clips 21.

For causing the carrier to move along the track I have shown inside the plate 1 a turret 61 supported on a centrally located shaft 63 and rotated by any suitable power means. Projecting radially from the turret are the four propeller heads 65 adapted to engage the side of the leg 17 of the carrier and push the latter. Each propeller head is mounted on a plunger 67 slidably mounted in the turret and carrying a roller 69 held in engagement with the stationary cam track 71 by means of a compression spring 73. The cam track is so formed that WVhen the carrier leaves the loading table it moves down the inclined track 74 afforded by the edges of the plate 1 and lowers the end of the drill steel into the furnace. The furnace illustrated is of the electric resistance type. It comprises a metal casing 75, open at the top and having the side walls 77 concentric with the plate 1, and the radial end walls 79 and 81. The casing is pro vided with a removable cover 83 of fireclay brick, tile, or other suitable refractdr y material, and below the cover is arranged similar material, forming the side walls 85 and bottom walls 87, to constitute a channelshaped passage 89. The cover is formed with a slot 91 through which the drill steel may be inserted in order that its end may project into the passage 89 and be heated. For generating the heat in the passage 89 are placed a series of U-shaped resistance elements, each element comprising the flat bar of resistance material affording the side members 93 and 95 and bottom member 97. Referring to Fig. 15, for any given'U- shaped element, the upper end of the side member 93 is connected to the upper end of the side member 93 at the right of it while the side member 95 of said element is connected to the upper end of the side member 95 at the left of it. In this way the U- shaped elements are connected in series.

The connected U-shaped members may be formed as an integral casting, and instead of the casting extending the entire length of the channel 89 I may form the same in sections. For this purpose I have shown in my present embodiment each section as 00111- prising four U-shaped members having terminals 99 and those of adjacent sections being welded or otherwise secured in electrical contact to blocks 101. Preferably. the terminal strips and blocks 101 are of greater conductivity than the other portions of the resistance in order to confine the heat generated to the channel 89. and for this purpose the U-shaped members may be formed of a known chromium-nickel alloy and the terminal strips and blocks of nickel welded to the U-shaped members, such weld being indicated at 103. The terminal strips rest on top of the material forming one of the side walls of the channel 89. between the same and the cover. The bottom of the U-shaped members are supported on the raised bosses 105 carried by the bottom walls of the channel. For insulating the terminal strips I have shown blocks 107 of porcelain or other suitable material, and to the blocks 101 carried by the terminals 99 of the two end U-shaped members I connect the conductors 109 for impressing on the furnace a regulatable source of electro-motive force.

For measuring the temperature of the furnace and thereby enabling the operator intelligently to control the temperature I have shown inserted through the wall of the furnace at one end thereof the terminal *portion of the thermo-electric couple 111 or other-pyrometer, the same extending into the channel 89 between the last two U-' shaped resistance elements.

Herein the end wall 81 of the furnace carries a door 113 normally biased by any suitable means to closed position, which door when struck by the drill steel or its carrier moving toward the end of the channel will open the door and permitthe drill steel to leave the furnace.

When the carrier is pushed to cause the drill steel to move out of the furnace it moves on the downwardly inclined track 115 provided by the plate 1 and runs ahead of the .propeller head to the bottom of the incline where it remains stationary until the propeller again catches up with it to cause further movement. When'the drill steel is standing stationary in the position just referred to, its end is submerged in the quenching liquid of the quenching tank 9, the level of which liquid is indicated at 117. The quenching tank is provided with an inlet 119 and an outlet 121, the latter being in the form of a pipe having the screw-- threaded end 123 carrying a sleeve 125 which may be turned to cause its upper edge to be elevated more or less above the bottom of the tank and thus regulate the level of the quenching liquid. The inlet 119 is shown as provided with a funnel-shaped end 127, the upper portion of which is covered with a partition 129 having formed therein a plurality of small perforations permitting the escape of the quenching fluid, and for this purpose I have indicated the partition as being formed of fine mesh wiregauze. By this means the discharge from the pipe 119 is diffused and forms a zone of cold quenching liquid which hardens the cutting and reaming edges of the bit. I

After the propeller again moves into contact with the carrier standing over the inlet 119 of the quenching tank it moves the carrier along the downwardly inclined track 131 attorded by the edges of the plate 1 above the. quenching tank and this causes the end of the drill steel gradually to be lowered into the quenching liquid to quench the remaining heated portion thereof and in this way to secure a-tough backing for the cutting and reaming edges hardened as heretofore described.

lVhen the carrier reaches the end of the downwardly inclined portion 131, it is moved up the upwardly inclined portion 1; 3 to lift the drill steel out of the quenching tank, and after the steel is disengaged from the carrier the latter moves to the loading table where a new steel may be placed on the carrier as heretofore described.

On the inclined portions 74, 115 and 133 of the track I may provide guard rails 135, one of which is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. As shown these guard rails are provided with flanges 137 secured by means of bolts 139 to the plate 1. The guard rail above the inclined track 115 at its upper end is pivoted to swing about the uppermost bolt 139, and to permit this the bolt holes 141 for the lower bolts 139 are in the form of slots concentric with the uppermost bolt. The guard rail is normally biased by resilient means hereinafter described to move toward the track so that the space between the track 115 and that afforded by the guard rail is less than the diameter of the wheels 13. and by this means the guard rail acts to check the speed of the carrier as it moves down the track.

Above the track 131, to prevent the carrier from moving ahead of the propeller head, I have shown a rail in the form of a bar 143 which is supported on bolts 145 each secured thereto at one end in offset relation to the bar and mounted in brackets 147 supported on the plate 1. The bar is resiliently held in spaced relation to the track 131 by means of compression springs 149 in order that the space normally existing between the guard rail and the track will be less than the diameter of the wheels 13. The springs 149 surround the bolts 145, and abut at one of their ends the flanges 151 formed as part of the brackets 147 and serving to guide the bolts, and at their other ends abut the nuts 153 carried by intermediate portions of the bolts. Near their lower ends'the bolts 145 carry stops in the form of nuts 155 adapted normally to rest against the lower flanges 157 formed as part of the brackets 147 and serving to guide the lower end portions of the-bolts. By means of the nuts 155 the space between the track and the bar may be adjusted. The end of the bar adjacent the track 115 is enlarged to form a shoulder 159, positioned to be struck by the wheel 13 when the carrier reaches the bottom of the incline in order to bring the carrier to rest, the parts being so constructed that when the propeller reengages the carrier the force exerted by the propeller is sufiicient to raise the bar 143 to permit spring pawl 163 which engages the left hand side of the leg 17 of the carrier as viewed in Fig. 2 when the same is over the inlet of the water tank as illustrated by Figs.

2, 3 and 4. It will be understood that the flexibility of the member 163 permits the carrier to pass by it as the carrier moves into the position just referred to.

To prevent the carrier from moving ahead of the propeller when the carrier is over the loading table I have shown secured to the inside of the plate 1 at the loading table the ends of a flexible bow-shaped strip 165 which carries the flexible bow-shaped arms 167 also secured at their ends to the plate. The strip 165 by these means is resiliently held away from the track a distance slightly greater than the space normally existing between the plate 1 and the adjacent edge of the leg 17 of the carrier and acts as a friction brake for the carrier when the same moves over the loading table.

To prevent excess movement of the row of drill steels above the furnace I have shown secured to the inner side of the plate 1 a flexible member 169 which has the rounded end portion 171 adapted to snap between the legs 17 and the last two carriers of the row. The member 169 is of strength suflicient to prevent accidental movement of the row and to yield when the row is pushed by the propeller head toward the end of the furnace. It also insures that if, owing to tilting of the next to the last carrier of the row. said carrier should be struck by the propellor as it moves toward engaging position With the last carrier of the row, said next to the last carrier will not be moved out of the furnace prematurely.

It will be understood that I have described one specific embodiment of my invention for purposes of illustration and that wide deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Claims:

1. In an electric heat treating machine,

means for moving drill steels or the like laterally along a path, resistance conduc tors arranged at the sides of said path opposite each side of the end portion of said drill steel and opposite the extreme end of said portion.

3. In an electric heat treating machine. means for moving a drill steel or the like along an arcuate path, and means providing a series of U-shaped resistance elements arranged to embrace the bit end only of said steel. i

4. In an electric heat treating machine for drill steels, means providing side and bottom walls arranged to form an arcuate chamber, resistance coils adjacent said side and bottom walls, and means for moving the bit ends only of the drill steels to be heated through said chamber.

5. In a heat treating machine for drill steels, means for conveying drill steels along a path, electric resistance elements arranged at the side of said path for imparting radiant heat tothe ends of said drill steels, a tank for quenching liquid in said path, and means for moving the ends of said drill steels through said quenching liquid after they are heated by said resistance elements.

6. In a heat treatin machine, means for conveying drill steels m a vertical position along a path, electric resistance elements arranged at the sides of said path for imparting radiant heat to the ends of said drill steels, a tank for quenching liquid in said path, and means for moving the ends of said drill steels through said quenching liquid after they are heated by said resistance elements.

7. In a heat treating machine, means for conveying drill steels along a path, spaced walls of refractory material at the sides of said path at the ends only of said drill steels, electric resistance elements lining said walls, a tank for quenching liquid in .said path, and means for moving the ends of said drill steels through said liquid after they are heated.

8. A heat treating machine for drill steels having, in combination, a heater comprising electric heating elements, a cooler, and drillsteel-end-presenting-means movable successively to present the ends of drill steels to said heater and cooler.

9. A heat treating machine for drill steels having, in combination, a heater comprising electric heating elements, a cooler, and means for successively presenting the end only of each of a group of drill steels to said heater and cooler, said means maintaining the end of each drill steel in the presence of said heater for the same length of time.

10. A heat treating machine for drill steels having, in combination, a furnace having electric heating elements, and drill-steel-endltla') lIU ' cooler, drill-steel-end-presenting-means. for ends only ()filllll I cooler, said pre I sistance elements,

fit)

presenting-means for presenting the ends only of drill steels to said furnace and removing them therefrom. v

11. A heat treating machine for (lllll steels having, in combination, a heater, a

successively presenting the steels to said heater and senting means being movable for moving said steels laterallyalonga path through said heater, said heater'having electric re; at opposite sides of said path and opposite the ends'of the drill steels traversing said path. v

12. A heat treating machine for drill steels having, in combination, a heater, a

cooler, drill-steel-end-presenting-means for successively presenting the ends only of drill steels to said heater and cooler, said presenting means being movable for moving said steels laterally along a path through said heater, said heater having electric resistance elements and refractory walls heated by said heating elements at opposite sides of said path and opposite the ends of the drill steels traversing said path.

13. A heat treatin machine for drill steels having, in "com ination, a heater, a

cooler comprising a quenching liquid, drillsteel-endpresenting-means for successively presenting the ends only of drill steels to said heater and cooler, said presenting means being movable for moving said steels lat- .erally along a path through said heater and then substantially abruptly to place the tips of the heated portions of said ends in said liquid and thereafter gradually to lower said heated portions into said liquid, and said heater having at opposite sides of said path and opposite the ends of ing said path electric heating elements and Walls of refractory material.

14. In a heat treating machine, atank for quenching liquid. means for plunging the ends of previously heated drill steels into said liquid, an inlet for said tank, and means affording an adjustable overflow for said tank.

15. In a heat treating machine, a carrier liquid,

abruptly to be removed from said heated ends said steels travers havinga plurality of small fices, and means for previously heated with said orifices,

discharge ori: moving the end of a drill steel into proximity and for then holding said end stationary, wherebysaid end-is .sub-

jected to the discharge from said orifices.

17. In 'a'heat treating machine, a quenching tank, an inlet for said tank, said inlet harm" and means for maintaining the level of quenching liquid in said tank above said orifices.

18fA heat treating machinehaving, in

combination, a heater, a quenching tank having an upwardly directed inlet and an outlet :for quenching-liquid, drill-steel-endpresenting-means for successively presenting the ends only of, drill steels to said heater and cooler, said presenting means being movable to cause said drill steels substantially heater and vertically with the tips of their in said quenching liquid above said inlet, said inlet having means diffusing the discharge of liquid therefrom, and said presenting means allowing said steels to remain stationary above said inlet until said tips are hardened and then gradually to lower said ends into said liquid.

19. A heat treating machine having, in combination, a heater, a quenching tank having an upwardly directed inlet and an outlet for quenching liquid, drill-steel-end-presenting-means for successively presenting the ends only of drill steels to said heater and cooler, said presenting means being able to cause said drill steels substantially abruptly to be removed from said heater and to be placed vertically with the tips of their heated ends in said quenching liquid above said inlet, said inlet having means diffusing the discharge of 1i uid therefrom, and said presenting means a lowing said steels to remain stationary above said inlet'until said to be placed ing said steels laterally.

In testimony whereof, name to this specification.

GEORGE H. GILMAN.

I have signed my mov- 

